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The Hawaii men’s basketball 2013-14 schedule was released today with no major surprises. Five nonconference opponents were listed that were not previously reported by the Star-Advertiser.
There are 19 home games on the docket, including eight Big West Conference opponents. All told, 10 of UH’s foes reached the postseason in March.
UH opens the regular season on Nov. 8 against Tennessee State as part of the Outrigger Hotels Rainbow Classic.
The Rainbow Warriors open Big West Conference play on the road for the first time, at Cal Poly on Jan. 9. Four of UH’s first five league games are on the mainland.
The ‘Bows will play a Green and White Scrimmage at 7 p.m. at the Stan Sheriff Center on Oct. 19 to kick off the preseason.
The full fields of the Rainbow Classic and the Hawaiian Airlines Diamond Head Classic were previously revealed. UH plays Boise State in the first round of the DHC on Dec. 22.
“Our team will be tested early with three very good squads in the Outrigger Hotels and Resorts Rainbow Classic,” UH coach Gib Arnold said in a statement. “We have two very tough trips to Northern Arizona (Dec. 7) and national power Missouri (in Kansas City Nov. 16) and those should really prepare us for the rigors of Big West play. Of course the Hawaiian Airlines Diamond Head Classic will again be one of the premier tournaments in the country and we weren’t given any favors by being put in a bracket with Boise State, Saint Mary’s and South Carolina. Overall, this is a very challenging preseason schedule and one of the toughest in terms of teams in our league.”
Other highlights include a game at Kauai High School against Chaminade on Dec. 14 (note: UH corrected the game from the 15th) and an ESPN-televised midnight affair against former Western Athletic Conference foe New Mexico State on Nov. 12 to conclude the Rainbow Classic.
Nonconference opponents on the schedule not previously reported were:
>> Hawaii Hilo, Nov. 21 at Stan Sheriff Center
>> New Orleans, Nov. 27 at Stan Sheriff Center
>> Chaminade, Dec. 14 at Kauai High School
>> Norfolk State, Dec. 30 at Stan Sheriff Center
>> Nebraska-Omaha, Jan. 3 at Stan Sheriff Center
